Muffled school slate



(No Mode l.)

G. GRAY.

MUFFLED SCHOOL SLATE:

No. 286,196. Patented Oct. 9, 1883.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,196, dated October 9, 1883.

Application filed Apiil 1S, 1882. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon GRAY, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at NcwYork, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in School-S1 ates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of school-slates in which a wooden frame is muffled to avoid noise when using the slate on a desk. I-Ieretofore such slates have been composed of a wooden frame provided with a covering composed of a strip of cloth which extends entirely around the grooved wooden strips composing the slate-frame, the edges of the cloth strip overlapping 011 the outer edges of the frame, and secured by a metallic band surrounding the outer edges of the frame, and confined in place by tacks, which are passed through the metallic band and the overlapping edges of the cloth strip into the slate-frame, all in such manner that the edges of the slate proper press the cloth into the grooves in the wooden frame, and therebypre vent the slate from rattling. I11 another instance the corners of the wooden slatefra1ne have been inclosed by tubular pieccs of rubber, of elbow form,to hold the frame away from a desk, with the corners of the slate proper bearing against the pieces of rubber tubing.

The object of my invention is to provide this class of slates at areduced cost; to render them light, substantial, and durable; to cover the entire frame with a continuous tubular muffle, so that the slate will rest against such muffle, and thereby avoid rattling, and to pro vide a tubular muffle of such construction that no longitudinal seam is visible, while the muflie is permanently and securely retained in position without the necessity of employing extraneous devices to connect it with the frame proper. These objects I accomplish by the construction of muffle and slate-frame illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of

The letter A indicates the slate, provided with a surrounding frame composed of a channeled or U-shaped strip of sheet metal, 0, and a covering or muffle, 13, of noiseless material, suclras cloth braid. In constructing this slateframe I take a strip of cloth braid or similar textile or other noiseless material and unite the longitudinal edges of the same by stitching or sewing, thereby imparting to the noiseless material a tubular form, which constitutes my improved muffle. The channeled or U shaped sheet-metal strip (3 is then bent to the required formto surround the slate-frame, and the tubular muffle is then drawn over the metal strip, or the strip inserted through the tubular muffle, and the adjoining ends of the latter are united by stitching, sewing, or by other suitable means. To conceal the seam or joint formed by the junction of the ends of the tubular muffle, I arrange over the same a covering, d, of cloth or other noiseless material, which can be convenientlysecured.in place by paste, stitches, or other suitable means.

It is not essential to connect the adjoining ends of thesheetanetal strip, as the continuous tubular muffle will be found sufficient to confine the framein proper position; but such ends of the strip can be united by solder, or otherwise, if desirable.

It will be observed that the channeled or U-shaped sheet-metal frame is entirely surrounded and incloscd by the continuous tubular muffle, and hence when the frame is secured around the slate A all the edges of the latter will bear on the muffle and press the same into the channel or groove formed by the shape of the sheet-metal strip, thereby effectually prevent ing rattling, while every part of the metal, strip being covered by the muffle, the frameis rentiered-practically noiseless.

The scam in the muffle, formed by the longi= tudinal edges of the piece of noiseless material,

is arranged so as to come directly opposite the channel or groove in the metal strip, and therefore when the parts are brought into position the edges of the slate will press said seam into the channel or groove in the metal strip, thereby providing a slate-frame with a muffle in which no longitudinal seam visible to the eye, which is obviously desirable, as being more neat and attractive, and not liable to become detached.

The sheetmetal strip enables the frame to and desirable in every respect.

If desired, the muffle can be manufactured in the form of a tube, and thus avoid subsequent stitching of the longitudinal edges to unite them; but in either event it shouldbe observed that the mufile is retained in proper position without the necessity of employing extraneous devices to connect it with the frame which it incloses, which obviously reduces the cost of manufacture. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a school-slate consisting of a slate and a surrounding frame composed of a channeled or U-shaped sheetqnetal strip inclosed within a continuous tubular muffle, which is confined in position without extraneous fastening devices, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a school-slate, of a channeled or U shaped sheet-metal strip,and a tubular muffle drawn over the metal strip and united at its ends, substantially as described.

3. The eombinatiomwith a sch0ol-slate, of a channeled or U-shaped sheetmet-al strip, and a tubular muffle composed of a piece of noiseless. material, having its longitudinal edges connected by stitching or sewing, and then drawn over the metal strip and united at its ends, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 1 I

GEORGE GRAY. \Vitnesses:

J. I'IERMANN Wannnns, Gr ms. \VAHLERS. 

